Apparatus for high-speed packaging of articles



Aprifi 1957 J. E. KOSTUR, SR

APPARATUS FOR HIGH-SPEED PACKAGING OF ARTICLES I 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1963 E mmw HQ 1.. QMF Q a INVENTOR. J. EDWAIQD KOSTUR Aprii 25, 1967 J. E. KOSTUR, SR 3,315,438

APPARATUS FOR HIGH-SPEED PACKAGING OF ARTICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 11, 1963 INVENTOR. J. EDWA DD KOSTUR United States Patent 3,315,438 APPARATUS FOR HIGH-SPEED PAtIKAGING 0F ARTICLES J. Edward Kostur, S12, Elmhurst, 111.; Pioneer Trust &

Savings Bank, executor of the estate of said Kostur, Sr.,

deceased, assignor to Comet Industries, Inc., Village of Bensenville, lll., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 329,688 23 Claims. (Cl. 53-141) The present invention relates to apparatus and method for high-speed packaging of articles; and more particularly the same includes a continuously operating machine for forming a series of first package parts, receiving articles to be packaged, securing other package parts to the first package parts with articles therebetween, and separating the package parts from other such parts to make discrete packages containing articles.

A significant feature of this invention is the provision, in a compact space, of high-speed packaging equipment for articles of different sizes and shapes; but particularly for small articles and/or those articles that have little stability in repose. The equipment is readily adapted for packaging different articles at the same time in one or more different packages. As a single purpose machine with a given mold and article magazine, the speed of packaging is limited substantially only significantly by centrifugal force in one modification, and this speed can be exceeded, if desired, by relatively simple expedients to be defined more fully below.

The apparatus has a rotatable vacuum-pressurized plastic molding drum and a movable belt for urging a formable thermoplastic first sheet or strip of material against the drum, which belt is heated by passing it over a hot roll. The belt is air-pervious to permit atmospheric air pressure to mold the heated material into cavities in the partially evacuated drum. Articles are dispensed into molded depressions in this material'and thereafter another sheet or strip of heated material is heat-sealed to the first sheet with the article sealed therebetween. Thereafter the sealed strips pass to a separating device which shears, and/or slits, and/or perforates, the sealed sheets between the articles to form discrete packages or groups of inter-article perforated packages. The packages may re quire the entire transverse width of a strip or sheet of material; or there may be several longitudinally parallel rows of packages along the sheet. The variations in use of the apparatus, and/or method, are extensive.

Further considering the speed at which such articles can be packaged, the diameter of the molding drum with relationship to the angular velocity thereof governs gravitational retention of articles to be packaged in the apparatus. In addition, the angle of disposition from vertical of the point of coincidence and sealing of package forming portions of materials is of significance therewith. Smaller diameter molding drums are restricted in peripheral velocity to a greater extent than relatively larger diameter drums by a non-linear (square root) function of r.p.m. For example, a twelve inch diameter drum can have a limiting peripheral velocity of substantially only seventy percent of the velocity of a twenty-four inch diameter drum; while the latter will have substantially only seventy percent of the peripheral velocity of a fortyeight inch diameter drum. Associated parts need not be varied dimensionally accordingly, however, and it is therefore preferred that the largest practicable diameter of molding drum be used.

A With a twenty-four inch diameter drum, for example only, the r.p.m. can attain substantially fifty-four r.p.m. before the centrifugal force acting on an article to be packaged equals the gravitational force acting on same at the upper center of the rotary path of travel of same.

3,315,438 Patented Apr. 25, 1967 At a point displaced from the upper center, this value becomes unequal favoring centrifugal force; and accordingly the r.p.m. must be less than maximum, or a guide shoe will need to be used to restrain the article to the proper path of travel.

At a peripheral velocity to attain a one-half times gravity value of centrifugal force, this twenty-four inch drum can attain substantially thirty-eight r.p.m., or about seventy percent of the maximum surface velocity for article retention. At such seventy percent velocity, the surface will move at a rate of substantially twenty-eight hundred inches per minute. Accordingly, articles spaced successively an inch apart along ten parallel rows of articles can be packaged conveniently in a quantity of twenty-eight thousand per minute, and over one and hour.

An eighteen-inch diameter mold making three-fourth inch wide packaged articles in ten parallel rows can package over one and a quarter million articles per hour operating at a one-half gravity value of centrifugal force. A

I presently used machine of approximately this latter diameter has been operated at twelve-hundred inches per minute. Articles are packaged in four rows at one inch intervals; and an output rate of over two million articles per eight hour day attained.

One use of the apparatus and method, by way of example only and not to be construed in a limiting sense, is for packaging sterile hypodermic needles, or the like. As is Well known, some of these needles are presently produced at such low cost that for many purposes they are used but once and disposed of. Some ampoules are provided with needles of this kind to serve as single injection cartridges in suitable syringes. The present apparatus can also package ampoules so equipped and numerous other articles in keeping with the method described hereinbelow.

In addition to the advantages mentioned above briefly, the apparatus is adapted for forming groups of articles into packages containing tear-line perforations between single articles and/or groups of articles. The apparatus causes components to operate along predetermined aths of travel of package forming materials consecutively and/or simultaneously and at a substantially uniform speed to attain high-speed packaging.

Accordingly, a broad object of the present invention is to provide improved high-speed packaging apparatus.

Another broad object, according to the present invention, is to provide an improved high speed packaging method.

Another object, in keeping with the penultimate object, is to provide apparatus having improved mechanism for heating heat-scalable sheet materials. 7

Still another object, in keeping with the antepenultimate object, is to provide improved heat-forming means for receptacles for articles to be packaged in a continuous process.

Another object in keeping with each of the preceding objects, is to provide a high-speed apparatus and method for packaging sterile articles in hermetically sealed discrete packages.

A further object, in keeping with the next preceding object is to provide for packaging groups of the same and/ or different articles in detachably associated portions of packages.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention reside in details of construction and arrangement of parts, and will be either obvious or pointed out in the following specification and claims interpreted in view of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view removed to show internal structure;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view with certain parts broken away;

with cover parts a half million per FIG. 2a is a detail partial view showing a radiant heat exchanger;

FIG. 3 is a partial detail view of the package cutter assembly taken on line 33, looking in the direction of the arrow, of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation, with certain parts broken away, taken substantially on line 4-4, loo-king in the direction of the arrows, of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial view showing one package arrange ment during processing;

FIG. 6 is a detail plan view of a packaged product formed by the machine; and

FIG. 7 is an end view of the product.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a packaging machine 10 is provided with a lower base frame 11, an upper frame 12 and corner legs 13, only two of which are shown. These parts 11, 12 and 13 may be suitably bolted or welded to support parts of the machine to be described below. Supported on the lower frame members 11 is a platform 15 which supports an electric motor 16 suitably arranged in known manner to drive pumps contained within a housing generally indicated at 18 through suitable shafting, not shown, but wellknown in the art. The motor 16 also drives a gear reducer 19 that in turn drives sprockets 20 and 21 to drive synchronized rotating mechanism, to be described in detail hereinbelow.

The smaller drive sprocket 20 drives a chain 23 which is trained over a sprocket 24 for driving a belt 25, and further trained on a large sprocket 26 for turning a vacuum drum 28. The vacuum drum 28 is carried in a journal 29 upon a strut 30 suitably secured between the upper frame member 12 by a suitable gusset 31 and to the lower frame member 11 by a bracket 32. The end bearing 34, which is shown in FIGURES l and 2, is a special hollow bearing accommodating pipes for supplying cooling media into one end of the drum and for partially evacuating the drum from the other end through mechanism to be described in detail below.

The larger sprocket 21, driven by the gear reduction mechanism 19, drives a chain 35 which in turn drives a sprocket 36, in turn driving gear mechanism 37 and 37a of a cutter assembly 130, to be described in detail in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4a and 4b.

The sprockets 20 and 21 and the sprockets 24, 26 and 36 are suitably sized to cause materials comp-rising a finished package to follow predetermined paths of travel through the packaging machine at a predetermined velocity. This velocity is selected, as mentioned briefly above, mainly with regard to the placement of the items to be packaged on the surface of the vacuum drum mechanism 28 so as to maintain articles in repose in preformed cavities of material formed on the surface of the drum as it progresses towards a sealing position for covering the articles in the cavities. It is to be understood that other drive mechanisms could be utilized and that the apparatus is not to be limited in the specific chain drive used in the present machine. Inasmuch as the cutting mechanism driven through gears 37 is adjustable in different senses of adjustment, an idler sprocket 38 is provided to permit adjustment and to assure synchronous movement of the cutter mechanism with the vacuum drum 28.

Supported upon opposite sides of the upper frame members 12 are joumalled brackets 40, of which two are shown in one side of the machine, and there being a corresponding two on the other side thereof for gravitationally and rotatably supporting heat-scalable material 41 on journals 42. There are two of these rolls of material 41 shown to facilitate changeover from the one in use, shown at the left, to the one to be used, shown at the right. Upon changeover, when the left-hand roll 41 is expended, a new roll 41 may be placed at the right-hand side. Suitable sealing means, not shown, can attach a leading edge of the right-hand roll to the exhausted or trailing edge of the left-hand roll to facilitate continuous operation.

A roll of paper 45 is supported upon a shaft 47 on 4 journalled brackets 46, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The paper 45 can be suitably printed and labeled and coated on one side with a heat-scalable film compatible with the film 41 for effecting a heat seal. In the particular packaging operation to be shown, the thickness of the material 45 is approximately only half that of the material 41 and, accordingly, there are two rolls of material 41 shown and only one roll 45. It is to be understood, if desired, the roll 41 can have twice the length of material so that there will be only one roll 41 for one roll 45. However, because different runs of materials may vary a few thousandths of an inch with respect to each other from a desirable normal thickness, it is preferred that there be an accommodation for extra material on one side or the other of the machine to perfect substantially continuous operation thereof under supervision of a single operator.

The material 41 is preferably supplied in sheet form and is forwarded along a line of travel 50 over a guide roll 51 suitably secured to side brackets of the machine, not shown, and trained over the heating belt 25. Accordingly, the material 41 will be moved along the path 50 at substantially the linear velocity of the belt 25. The heating belt 25 passes over the surface 52 of a hot drum 53 connected with the sprocket 24 secured to the adjustable journal 55 carried on slideways 56 secured to the strut 30. An adjustment screw 57 is threaded in a boss 58 secured to the slideways 56 for adjusting the journal 55, thus positioning the sprocket 24, taking up slack in the chain 23, and properly positioning the left-hand lay 25a of the belt 25 with respect to the surface of the vacuum drum 28.

The left-hand lay 25a of the belt 25 is caused to pass upwardly adjacent the drum with the material 41 between the left-hand lay 25a of the belt 25 and the surface of the vacuum drum 28. The upper path of the belt 25 is trained over a roll 60 mounted on a journal 61 in an adjustable journal block 62 carried in guideways 63 for adjustment by an adjusting screw 65 that can be identical to the adjustment screw 57 described above. With such structure, the tension on the heating belt 25, and particularly on its lay 25a, is sufficient to clamp the material 41 against the surface of the vacuum drum 28. Inasmuch as atmospheric air is drawn through the belt 25, it is preferred that the same be air-pervious or perforated while still having sulficient heat capacity and heat transfer characteristic to heat the plastic material 41 to its heat-formable temperature which is approximately 250 to 275 F. for certain plastics used. The hot oil in the drum 53 is preferably maintained substantially between 425 and 475 F. when the heating belt is moved at one hundred feet per minute.

An arrangement for heating the oil in the roll 53 is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2. An oil heater 70 is preferably contained in the housing 18, but is shown re moved for the purpose of clarity. The oil heater may be provided with a supply of oil having a high temperature capacity below the vaporization temperature thereof and a suitable supply of same maintained in a drum, not shown, within the housing 18. An oil pump 71 is driven by the reduction gear 19, for example, through a suitable shaft 72 to cause flow of oil at pumping pressure through a line indicated by broken lines 73 into the oil heater. A suitable source of heat may be supplied as by electrical supply wires 74 to heat the oil for the drum to a suitable high temperature, for example to 425 and 475 F., and force same through a pipe 76 to a control valve 77 into a sealed rotating bearing housing 78 thus through the hot oil roll 53, FIGURE 1, thence out through a rotatable bearing housing 79 to a pipe 80 on the suction side of the oil pump 71.

A sensitive thermocouple 82 may be provided and suitably powered by means, not shown, to control a circuit 84 in known manner for modulating the valve 77 in response to temperature of the heat transfer belt 25. While this is shown in FIG. 1 as sensing temperature after the heating belt 25 has passed along the material 41 on the vacuum drum 28 and therefore given up heat to the plastic material 41 to enable forming of same by a vacuum process by the drum 28, it is to be understood that the thermocouple 82 can be placed conveniently at other positions along the path of travel of the belt 25, or the material 41, etc., to sense a temperature indicative of the temperature of the plastic film 41 being formed.

It is contemplated that rolls of plastic material 41 may be supplied to the machine at different temperatures during different periods of the year due to ambient temperature changes. Accordingly, auxiliary heat may be supplied either in the guide roll 51 or by suitable radiant heaters, not shown, which also can be thermostatically controlled as by the thermocouple 82, or other thermostats, for example.

For reasons to appear below, it is preferred that the oil heater have two paths of circulation for heating the heat transfer oil to predetermined temperature ranges and that control valves such as the valve 77 be utilized to supply greater or lesser quantities of such heated oil to obtain a proper quantity of heat in the heat transfer roll 53 as well as at another stage of the process, to be explained more fully hereinbelow.

With such arrangement, the valve 77 can be modulated to supply different quantities of oil at different times whereby a greater quantity of hot oil will be supplied into the oil heater due to more rapid flow through the oil circuit traced above, whereby the oil heater will tend to raise the heat of the oil up to a limit controlled by a limit switch, not shown, within the oil heater to provide a simplified heating system which is relatively free of complex structure while still providing accurate control of the temperature of the heat transfer belt 25.

As mentioned briefly above, the heat formable material 41 passes along the path 50, and along with the heat transfer belt 25 around the hot roll 53 and into engagement with the surface of the vacuum drum 28. The material 41 is held in intimate engagement by pressure exerted by the lay 25a of the belt 25 from the point of contact of the formable material 41 with the surface of the vacuum drum 28 substantially at a point 85 on the surface of the vacuum drum 28 to a point at least 180 away, such as the point 86 shown on the opposite side of the vacuum drum 28. A suitable baffie 87 within the vacuum drum 28 can be provided so that substantially atmospheric air pressure will be present in approximately the bottom one-third of the periphery of the vacuum drum 28. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2a, the bafile 87 preferably lies closely adjacent the end walls of the vacuum drum 28, and inside surfaces 94 of the pockets 90, and filler strips 87a which are flush with the surfaces 94 provide a slideable seal.

As the thermo-forming material 41 travels from the point 85 on the periphery of the drum upwardly toward a position 88 on the periphery of the drum, it is forced inward into evacuated pockets 90 on the surface of the vacuum drum 28. FIG. 2a shows a typical pocket on the surface of the vacuum drum 28. This pocket is provided preferably with at least two small apertures 91 which are shown at bottom corner of the pocket 90. Atmospheric pressure will be present through the lay 25a of the heat transfer belt 25 and a partial vacuum will be drawn within the drum at a point thereof adjacent the top portion of the drum to draw the film of heat formable material 41 to conform with the external contour of the pocket 90.

It is preferred that the surface of the vacuum drum 28 be maintained at approximately 150 F. for drawing certain formable materials 41 into these pockets. Because the belt, at least in the lay 25a, is substantially hotter than 150 F., it is desired to cool the surface of the drum. Ambient air permitted to enter the drum in the portion of travel between the points 86 and 85 will tend to cool that portion of the drum as it passes between these points 86 and 85. As will appear later, as packages leave the machine at approximately the point 86 they cause a small quantity of air to circulate through that portion of the machine in its lower portion below the internal baffle 87.

In addition, radiant cooling coils 93 are located internally of the vacuum drum 28 adjacent the paths of travel of the pockets 90. As shown in FIG. 2a, the coils 93 are positioned to receive heat that is radiated from the inside surface 94 of the pockets 90. Because the lay 25a of the belt 25 is substantially hotter than the surface of the vacuum drum 28 and additionally hotter than the coolant within the coils 93, a rapid heat transfer by radiation from hot bodies to the cool coils 93 obtains and thus the plastic material 41 is formed in a very short period of time while it passes between the points and 88 on the surface of the vacuum drum 28.

The thus formed depressions in the formable material 41 are passed along in their path of rotation c0unterclockwise beneath a magazine 95 which may be suitably synchronized to a control mechanism 96 such as conventional in packaging arts to forward articles to be packaged into a depression as they pass the outlet of the magazine 95. The articles pass therefrom to a station' wherein a second sheet of material is secured to the cause a small quantity of air to circulate through that formed sheet in another step in the packaging process.

A heat sealable sheet of material 45, such as treated paper, passes along a path of travel 98 over a hot oil roll 99. The roll 99 is carried on bearing blocks 101 and has hollow seal journals 102 at each end for connection with rotary seals 104 and 105, FIG. 2, for passing hot oil at substantially 275 to 325 F., for heating the heat sealable material 45.

Referring again to FIG. 2, hot oil is supplied to the hot roll 99 from a pipe 105 leading from the oil heater 70. It is preferred that the pipe 106 be in communication with a lower heat capacity part of the oil heater to maintain a temperature differential thereof of approximately 50 to 75 degrees difference between that oil fed through the pipe 76 to the hot roll 53 that beats the heat transfer belt 25, as described above. The less hot oil flows through a control valve 108 suitably controlled as by thermocouple 110 to modulate the valve 108 to control the quantity of hot oil fed through the hot oil roll 99. The oil returns to the heater through the oil seal journal 105 to a pipe 111, the pipe 80, pump 71 and the pipe 73 back to the oil heater 70. As mentioned above in connection with hot roll 53, it may be desired that the thermocouple 110 also control a supply of auxiliary heat to the heat sealable paper 45 in known manner.

A preferred device for controlling heat transfer to the heat sealable paper is provided by an adjustable roll 115. The roll is rotatably mounted on a pair of arms 116 secured by the journal block 111 as by a set screw, not shown, and the roll 115 can be adjusted to several positions 115a, for example, by adjusting the arms 116 upon the journal blocks 101. It is to be noted that the path of travel 98a will provide less area of contact of the heat sealable paper with the surface of the hot roll 99 with the guide roll 115 in full line position than when the roll 115 is in the position 115a. Accordingly, it is possible to move the roll 115 between different positions to thus provide proper heat to the paper 45 to effect proper heat sealing when the same contacts the heat forming material 41.

The hot roll 99 is in pressurized contact with the materials lying therebetween and the surface of the vacuum drum 28. There are several modes of adjustment for assuring proper positioning of the hot roll 99 with relationship to the surface of the vacuum drum 28. An adjustment screw 120 in each of the journal blocks 101 can adjust the position of the hot roll 99; and adjusting means 121 associated between the journal block 29 or a journal 34 of the vacuum drum 28 also provides for adjustment. Either or both of these adjustment means can be utilized, and for different thicknesses of package forming materials it is desirable to have a sufiicient range of adjustment to effect proper application of pressure with the material being sealed at the area of contact 125 between the hot roll 99 and the surface of the vacuum drum 28.

The pack-age, as explained more in detail below, passes in sealed relationship containing a packaged article to the point 86 in the path of travel of the periphery drum 28. At this point 86, the sealed strip is drawn away from the surface of the drum and passes downwardly in the direction of the arrow 126 around a guide roll 127 and thence towards the left as viewed in FIG. 1 toward the cutter mechanism 130. The guide roll 127 is frictionally driven by contact with the surface of the heat sealed material 45, and it may be desirable that the roll 127 be fed wit-h coolant when certain thermo-seal-able materials are used. In the event coolant is desired, the same may be supplied through sealed bearings, not shown, including hollow journals 131 at each end and in communication with the interior of the roll 127. The details of such construction are not shown because same is believed to be obvious as an adjunct to the water cooling system now to be described.

As mentioned above, the radiant cooling coils 93 within the vacuum drum are adapted to receive heat from the pockets 90 of the vacuum dlrum 28 The coils 93 are preferably supplied with chilled water that can be fed through a double sealing bearing 135 accommodating an outer pipe 136 having an inner pipe 137 therein communicating respectively with circulating pipes 136A and 137A connected to a water cooler and pump, the latter of which may be driven by a shaft 720. The water cooler pump 140 is preferably located within the housing 18 and properly insulated from the oil heater 70 therein. The water cooler may be controlled by a thermocouple 141, FIG. 1, in conventional manner to either cause more chilled water to be circulated or to cause the water to be chilled to a greater degree depending upon the temperature of the surface of the vacuum drum 28 as it passes its lowermost point of travel prior to the reception of heat from the hot lay 25a of the heat transfer belt 25.

As mentioned briefly above, if it is desired to cool the guide roll 127 for cooling the semi-finished product prior to the slitting and separating operation of same, a simple direct coolant flow to the ends of the roll 127 may be effected by using sealed hollow journals such as 78 and 79, for example, used in connection with the hot oil for heating the hot oil drum 53. However, the present product and materials used do not require cooling at this point and thus the structure is not shown, it being considered obvious fro-m the description concerning the oil heat mechanism.

Vacuum is drawn in the upper right-hand two-thirds portion of the periphery of the vacuum drum 28 above the internal baffle 87 through the hollow journal 34 in communication with a pipe 150 connected with an air pump 151 shown diagrammatically as driven by a shaft 72b to exhaust air to atmosphere through a WM 152. As mentioned above, the air will be drawn out of the pockets 90 in the surface of the vacuum drum through the apertures 91 whereby atmospheric pressure will cause the heat formable material 41 to be drawn into these'pockets 90 to form depressions in the material for receiving articles to be packaged.

The mechanism for slitting and perforating and separating the packaged items will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4a and 4b. As most clearly shown in FIG. 3, the strip containing pack-aged articles pass in the direction of the arrow 154 to the left toward shear rolls 155. In the particular instance to be explained below, there are five shear rolls 155 for separating four lines of packaged articles and for trimming the outside edges which may be irregular, at least in the heat formed material 41 because it has been drawn into depressions in the pockets 90 during the vacuum forming portion of the process.

The shear rolls are carried in yokes 157 upon suitable bearings 158 which pass through the center bushings 159 of the shear rolls 155 for precisely guided rotation thereon, but with a minimum of friction. It may be preferred that the bushings 159 carry double-row ball bearings for this purpose although plain bearings, if carefully fabricated, serve quite well. The yoke 157 is connected to a square shank 160 in turn fitted into a sleeve 161, FIG. 1, is adjusted by a micrometer type adjusting screw 162, or other suitable means. The sleeve 161 is in turn secured to a top bar 163 of a rugged frame 164 secured to a bottom plate 164a supported on frame members 11. The shearing rolls are thus carefully positioned to slit through the materials forming the packages; and engage a Teflon tape strip 165 in non-cutting relationship. The tape is suitable secured to the periphery of rims 166 of a shearing ro-ll 168.

The shearing rroll 168 is connected through a shaft 169 to the sprocket 36 driven by the chain 35, FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 4, it is seen that the shaft 169 is also connected to helical gears 170 and 170a which are, respectively, right and left-hand helixes as viewed looking toward the right. Each of these helical gears mesh respectively with gears 171 and 171a suitably secured to outboard bearings 172 and 172a, respectively, adjustably securing these gears 171 and 171a to the frame sides 164. Referring again to FIG. 3, 171a in turn meshes with a gear 174a which is similar to the gear associated with the gear 171. The gear 174a in turn meshes with a gear 175a for rotating a perforator and cut-off drum generally indicated by the reference character 177, to be described more in detail hereinbelow.

It is essential that the gears 170a and 175a, as well as the similar gears on the other end, have an identical number of gear teeth. For economical construction, it is acceptable that the gears 171a and 174a have similar numbers of teeth but different numbers than gears 170a and 175a so that long life is provided without individual galling of gear teeth. For highly precise and accurate operation, it is preferred that the respective gears 171a and 174a have a dissimilar number of teeth as close in number as practicable with relationship to the gears 17 0a and 175a to provide for maximum gear life while providing smooth and uniform rotation. By way of example only, if the gears 170a and 175a have 25 teeth each, it is preferred that the gears 171a and 174a have, respectively, 24 and 23 teeth, or vice versa, to provide many revolutions of the teeth before previously meshed teeth re-engage each other, in accordance with conventional recommended gear practice. In addition to this, it is preferred that the respective right and left-hand helical gears have transverse adjustment with relationship to each other in at least one of the outboard hearing mounts whereby to take up backlash and insure uniform velocities of the rotating parts.

The above is pointed out in detail, even though such is known recommended gear practice because the present device is operable at relatively 'high speeds, and for the additional reason that for highest productivity the machines may be supplied for single purpose service and, accordingly, the additional expense of adopting best known gear practice is warranted. However, it is to be noted that relatively inexpensive gearing and chain drives, and the like, can also be utilized for accomplishing suitable functi-ons for many purposes in keeping with this invention.

The shearing roll 168 is rotated by the sprocket 36 and individual depressions of the heat formed material will engage a series of teeth 181 and be drawn under the slitting rolls 155, and accordingly be longitudinally slit apart thereby. The thus slit portions of the sheet containing the articles is passed along and downwardly by a chain action of the depressions 180 engaging the teeth surfaces 181 and into engagement with blades 185 on the perforator and cut-off drum 177. If required, a guide. shoe (not shown) may be provided over 9 the upper left side of the slitter drum 168 to guide the longitudinally slit material into engagement with the blades 185 of the cut-off drum 177.

The blades 185 are substantially identical except that the blades 185a have continuous edges for cutting groups of articles apart to form the finished article, and the rest of the blades 185 are notched as at 186, FIG. 4b, to form tear slits or perforations along transverse lines separating discrete articles for a purpose to be explained more fully hereinbelow.

The cutting edges 188 of all of the blades 185 and 185a are adapted to pass through the material containing the packaged articles and engage Teflon tape secured to crowns 189 of the teeth 181 on the roll 168. Accordingly, an adjustment of the relative positions of the shaft 169 carrying the roll 168 and a shaft 190 carrying the cut-off drum 177 are preferably adjusted closely in tolerance on the order of less than one-thousandths of an inch of their peripheries. Such adjustment may be accomplished by known adjusting means, not shown, but commercially available from machine tool suppliers, and adjustment can be effected by adjustment screws 191, for example, suitably secured to frame members 164.

For adjustments, it is preferred that the chain tension sprocket 38, FIG. 1, be removed to permit removal of the chain 35 from restraint upon the mechanism and that the sprocket 36 then be rotated by hand while the knives are being adjusted relative to the crowns 189 of the shearing roll 168 whereby the feel of the machinist will apprise him when the cutting edges 188 of the knives 185 and 185a are effecting proper engagement with the Teflon tape surfaced crowns 189. It is found that an experienced machinist can effect such adjustment in a very short time. After adjusting, the chain 35 and take-up sprocket 38 are replaced and properly tensioned. Because of this nicety of adjustment, the main bearing 195 adjacent the sprocket 36, FIG. 4a, is preferably a high load capacity precision double roll ball bearing or a roller bearing, or a suitably ground plain bearing, whereby adjustment is not disturbed due to tensioning the chain after the adjustment is made.

As shown in FIG. 3, there are three cut-01f blades 185a and twelve perforating blades 185. With such arrangement, finished packages of separable units containing five articles are fabricated. It is also possible With such a cut-off drum 177 and a mating shearing roll 168 to provide combinations of fifteen packaged items or packages divisible by three or five and, of course, single items. If other combinations are desired, for instance, one-half dozens and one-fourth dozens, or two-thirds or one-third, or a combination having a total of twelve; blades can be provided in obvious manner according to the above description. Many other combinations also can be provided in addition, and it is not essential that each line of products to be packaged be identical products, or that in the shearing operation all of them need be sheared at the same time. In other words, different numbers of slitting and piercing and shearing devices arranged side-by-side and longitudinally can provide for running different articles of different sizes along parallel strips in the above described machine.

In the machine described in detail above, the strip of material is indicated in FIG. 5 as comprising four lines of identical depressions 180. However, these depressions are arranged in a pattern to provide tab portions 200 to be described in connection with the formed product. To provide such tab portions, only strips 202 have pressure applied to them by the hot roll 99, FIG. 1. This can be readily accomplished by providing shoulders 203 on the surface of the vacuum drum 28 so that no pressure will be applied on the areas 200 but will be applied on the areas indicated by dots in FIGS. 5 and 6.

It is preferred, although not essential to the invention, that the surface of the vacuum drum 28 be made in substantially identical sections, such as halves, thirds, etc.,

which can be secured by machine screws, not shown, to the rotated ends of the drum 28. The sections can include suitable cavities 90, FIG. 20, for different sizes and shapes of articles to be packaged. Each section can contain suitable air seal strips 87a cooperable with edges of the bafile 87, FIG. 1, for providing partially evacuated and ambient air pressure internal compartments in the drum. With such segmented sectional structure, the vacuum drum surface 28 can be changed over in a short period of time for packaging different articles.

The slitting and cutting mechanism may be differently arranged for accommodating different sizes and shapes of packages. To effect such change, when minor change only is required, such as for articles identically spaced longitudinally but longer than those packaged in four parallel strips, certain cutter rolls may be adusted .upward to an inoperative position. When more complex change is required, it is preferred that the subassembly 130 with its sub-frame 163, 164 and 164a be exchanged. Such method further facilitates pre-adjustment of blades, shear rolls and parts prior to mounting same on the frame members 11.

Referring again to FIG. 5, the slitting rolls 155 out the packaging materials longitudinally on the lines 205 indicated in dashes which separates the four lines of articles from each other and also trim the lateral outside edges. The piercing and cutting knives and 185a next engage the materials along dotted lines 206 to separate the individual packages by either perforated lines 206a or separating them in groups of five on lines 206, in the example shown.

Referring again to FIG. 3, it is to be noted that a group of five packaged articles 210 has been severed by the cutting edge of the blade 185a and this package will then drop into engagement witha tooth 181 of the roll 168 at a point 211. Upon slight additional rotation of the shearing roll 168, the article 210 will dro due to gravity into engagement with a removing belt 215, FIG. 1, mounted for rotation on a roll 216 suitably secured to the frame member 11 by depending arms 217.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, a finished article 210 is shown as including five capsules 220 which were formed as depressions in the material 41 in pockets 90, FIGS. 1, 2 and 2a, which have been longitudinally slit on lines 205 forming the right and left-hand edges of the article, and thereafter cut off on lines 206 and perforated on lines 206a. With particular reference to FIG. 7, it is to be noted that there are tabs 225 on the heat formed capsule 220 and the heat sealable paper 226.

The individual articles can be separated by tearing apart along the lines 206a and the parts of the capsule further torn apart by the users fingers by pulling the tabs 225 and 226 apart. The particular item within the package in the form of the invention described above is a sterile hypodermic needle within the plastic capsule 230. These capsules are fed to the outlet of the magazine 95, FIG. 1, and placed four at a time along the four rows of the sheet material as shown in FIG. 5. The hypodermic needles are sterile in their capsules 230 and are maintained sterile in this process due to the heat applied on the order of 250 F., to the formable material 41, FIG. 1, and also the heat applied to the paper prior to heat sealing same with relationship to the form-able material 41. Although not shown, the machine is preferably provided with covers to substantially seal the same air tight to reduce the likelihood of air borne contamination for this type of operation,

OPERATION The machine is set up by providing a vacuum pressure drum 28 having suitable cavities 90 for forming capsule parts 220 in the form of depressions in the heat formable material 41. The heat formable material is first trained along the path beneath the hot roll 53 and the heat transand 226, respectively, portion of the article including the fer belt 25. The material 41 is heated and formed while under the lay 25a of the belt 25 due to atmospheric pressure urging of same into the cavities 90. For the material 41 used for encapsulating hypodermic needles, heat is supplied for approximately ninety degrees of rotation of the drum 28. However, for different materials, more or less area of contact can be provided; also, heat can be varied, vacuum pressure can be varied, speed of rotation can be changed; or different and other combinations of expedients can be effected to form the material 41.

After passing the forming station, the depressions are fed with articles to be packaged. Although not essential it is preferred, in order to have a smooth surfaced hot oil roll 99, that the article be of lesser maximum dimension than the depth of the depression in the material 41. The material 41 with an article in each depression passes beneath the heat sealable material 45 after the same has been heated by the hot roll 99. Pressure is applied at this point, as shown, although such pressure can be conveniently provided by a pressure role, or shoe, or the like, subsequent to the confluence of same in their paths of travel adjacent the surface of the vacuum drum 28.

After heat sealing the materials 41 and 45 together to encapsulate the articles, the materials can be cooled by a fan, or the like, inv known manner, or by the chilled guide roll 127. The sealed strip is passed around the guide roll 127 into the cutter mechanism 130 between the several knives and perforated and cut to finish the packaged article 210.

Upon starting up, it has been found that either the material 41 when fed singly, or the material 45 when fed singly, beneath the cutter knives 185 and 185a, will tend to adhere therewith and follow along with the knives toward the left at the bottom portion of the path of travel of the knives. Accordingly, there is provided a contrarotating brush 235 which is mounted in spaced-apart posts 236 which are slideably mounted in holes 237 in their brackets 238. At each end of the shaft 190 there is a drive surface 240 over which a belt 243 is trained. The belt in turn passes over a pair of sheaves 241 and 247 fastened to the ends of the brush 235. A handle 245 can be raised to the position shown. The handle is journalled to the shaft 235a mounting the brush 235 in the bushing 236' for depressing a sheave 247 against a lower reach 248 of the belt 243. Due to reaction of the sheaves 241 and 247 with the belt, an upward force will be applied to the brush to raise same toward engagement with the ends of the knives as shown in FIG. 3. At the same time, a drive connection will be effected between the drive surface 240 and the sheaves 241 and 247 to cause the brush 235 to rotate and brush the material off of the edges of the knives 185 and 185a. When the handle is released, the sheave 247 will move upwardly and the sheave 241 move downwardly to disengage the brush and the knives as well as to terminate the driving connection. In the event paper alone from the roll 45 is fed beneath the cutter knives 185 and 185a, the handle 245 can again be raised to brush the paper off of the knives. This operation is required only upon starting of operation, but the knives may be cleaned from time to time during operation by placing a suitable cleaning substance on the brush and raising it into drive engagement with relationship to the knives when required.

While I have shown and described in detail a specific embodiment .of the invention and the presently preferred method of fabricating and for providing a high speed operation forming a hermetically sealed packaged article, obviously other uses and adaptations of the invention will occur to others skilled in the art. Accordingly, I desire not to be limited in my invention only to the particular embodiment and method and article shown and described, but by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for high speed continuous packaging of articles between sheets of heat-scalable and formable materials comprising, means establishing a predetermined first path of travel for heat-sealable and formable material, means for heating said formable material while the same is in said first path, movable molding means comprising a part of said first path, movable clamping means cooperable with said molding means for securing said formable material therebetween, said molding means being adapted to cause said material to be formed while the same is clamped so as to form receptacles for the articles to be packaged, an article receiving station in said first path after said molding means, means establishing a second predetermined path of travel for a material that is heat scalable with relationship to said formable material, second means for heating said scalable material, means for urging said two materials together in heat scalable relationship, separating means for cutting said sealed-together materials into discrete package portions, said separating means including a shear having at least one blade movable in the same sense of movement and in velocity coincident relationship with said materials along an additional portion of the path of travel of said materials for cutting the same transversely thereof, said separating means including means for slitting the materials longitudinally of said additional path of travel, said clamping means comprising an endless heated belt having a portion biased toward said molding means.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said heated belt being air-pervious, and molding means including a vacuum drum operatively associated with said air pressure belt and adapted for applying atmospheric air heated through said heated belt to said formable materials for effecting molding thereof.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said vacuum drum of said molding means being rotatable, perforated forming cavities on the surface of said vacuum drum, and means for partially evacuating the interior of said drum.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said cavities being shaped to form said receptacles, and said article receiving station including means for dispensing articles to be packaged into said receptacles.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said belt being heat conductive for heating said formable material, and means for heating said belt.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said second heating means comprising a roll being a part of the second path of travel, and means for heating said roll.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, said roll heating means comprising means forming a fluid path of flow including the interior of said roll, and means for heating said fluid prior to entrance thereof into said roll.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, said fluid being oil, and said path of flow being endless.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, and means for adjusting the area of roll surface engaged by said scalable material to control the transfer of heat thereto.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, said roll being positioned to urge said scalable material into engagement with said formable material after the latter has received an article to be packaged therebetween, and said article receiving station including means for dispensing an article to be packaged into a receptacle in said formable material.

11. Apparatus for continuously packaging articles between layers of heat-scalable packaging materials comprising: a surface movable along an endless path of travel, means for driving said surface along said path at a predetermined speed, said surface including a plurality of spaced-apart pocket-shaped molds, a lay of a heating belt positioned contiguous to said surface, means for feeding one of said materials between said lay of heating belt and said surface, whereby said one material is heated, means for exerting force on said heated one material to cause it to conform to said pocket-shaped molds, means for inserting articles to be packaged in the heat formed material, and means for heat sealing another of said materials to said one material with an article therebetween.

12. In apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further including a rotatable heating drum for transferring heat to said heating belt, a heated liuid, and means for causing circulation of said fluid to and from said drum.

13. In apparatus as set forth in claim 11, in which said heating belt is trained around said drum, and a guide roll for said belt is spaced from said drum for causing a lay of said belt to press said one material upon said surface.

14. In apparatus as set forth in claim 13, said belt being air pervious, said pocket-shaped molds having perforated recesses, and said force exerting means comprises means for vacuum forming said pocket shapes when said one material is beneath said lay of said belt.

15. In a machine of the character described in claim 11, in which said means for heat sealing another of said materials includes a rotatable heating drum for transferring heat to the other of said materials, a heated fluid, and means for causing circulation of said fluid to and from said drum.

16. In a machine of the character described in claim 15, said material passing over a portion of the surface of said heating drum, and adjustment means for controlling the quantity of heat transferred from said heated drum to said material.

17. In a machine of the character described in claim 15, said heating drum being positioned to compress said other material into heat-sealing engagement with one material.

18. In a machine of the character described in claim 17, means for inserting an article to be packaged between said materials in the shaped areas of said one material prior to heat-sealing said materials.

19. In a machine of the character described in claim 11, said surface forming a rotatable cylinder, said cylinder having end plates each of which has a journal on a common central axis of the plates, means for cooling said cylinder comprising radiant heat receiving means mounted within said drum, a source of fluid coolant, at least one of said journals being hollow, said coolant being supplied to said heat receiving means via said hollow journal.

20. In a machine of the character described in claim 19, said heat receiving means being coils adjacent at least a portion of an inside surface of said cylinder.

21. In a machine of the character described in claim 20, said coolant being water, a pair of water pipes passing through said hollow journal and being connected to said coils, and water cooling means connected to said pipes.

22. In a machine for packaging articles between strips of sealable materials in spaced relationship in pockets in at least one of said materials, said materials being moved at a predetermined velocity past a sealing position, said pockets in said materials being of a predetermined shape with a raised portion and a depressed portion, a shearing roll for receiving said sealed strips, said shearing roll having mating depressed surfaces and raised surf aces conforming to said pockets, a plurality of slitting rolls each cooperating with a different one of said raised surfaces of said shearing roll, said slitting rolls each including a means for separating said strips one from the other, a cutofi roll, said cut-off roll including a plurality of blades positioned to cooperate with the raised surfaces of said shearing roll, each of said blades being spaced apart a distance equal to the spaced relationship of said articles in said strips, and means for rotating said cut-off roll at a predetermined velocity with respect to said shearing roll, whereby said strips are perforated between said packaged articles.

23. In a machine for packaging articles between strips of sealable materials in spaced relationship in pockets in at least one of said materials, said materials being moved at a predetermined velocity past a sealing position, a shearing roll for receiving said sealed strips, a plurality of slitting rolls each cooperating with a different portion of said shearing roll, said slitting rolls each including a means for separating said strips one from the other, a cut-off drum, said cut-off drum including a plurality of blades positioned to cooperate with said different portions of said shearing roll, each of said blades being spaced apart a distance equal to the spaced relationship of said articles in said strips, means for rotating said cut-off drum at a predetermined velocity with respect to said shearing roll, whereby said strips are perforated between said packaged articles, and a brush positioned for engagement with the leading edges of said blades for removing adhered materials therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,895,899 1/1933 Schaub 5329 X 2,180,966 11/1939 Salfisberg 5329 X 2,546,059 3/1951 Cloud 5329 X 2,586,580 2/1952 Truscott 53141 X 2,597,986 5/1952 Halstead 5329 X 2,697,901 12/1954 Hosack 53194 X 2,949,713 8/1960 Vogt 5329 3,038,282 6/1962 Hansen et :al. 5329 X 3,218,776 11/1965 Cloud 53141 X GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, 111., Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 ,315 ,438 April 25 1967 J. Edward Kostur, Sr.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6, line 24, strike out "cause a small quantity of air to circulate through that", "air pressure" read heated line 30, for "heated" read pressure Signed and sealed this 9th day of January 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer I column 12 lines 29 and 30, for 

1. APPARATUS FOR HIGH SPEED CONTINUOUS PACKAGING OF ARTICLES BETWEEN SHEETS OF HEAT-SEALABLE AND FORMABLE MATERIALS COMPRISING, MEANS ESTABLISHING A PREDETERMINED FIRST PATH OF TRAVEL FOR HEAT-SEALABLE AND FORMABLE MATERIAL, MEANS FOR HEATING SAID FORMABLE MATERIAL WHILE THE SAME IS IN SAID FIRST PATH, MOVABLE MOLDING MEANS COMPRISING A PART OF SAID FIRST PATH, MOVABLE CLAMPING MEANS COOPERABLE WITH SAID MOLDING MEANS FOR SECURING SAID FORMABLE MATERIAL THEREBETWEEN, SAID MOLDING MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO CAUSE SAID MATERIAL TO BE FORMED WHILE THE SAME IS CLAMPED SO AS TO FORM RECEPTACLES FOR THE ARTICLES TO BE PACKAGED, AN ARTICLE RECEIVING STATION IN SAID FIRST PATH AFTER SAID MOLDING MEANS, MEANS ESTABLISHING A SECOND PREDETERMINED PATH OF TRAVEL FOR A MATERIAL THAT IS HEAT SEALABLE WITH RELATIONSHIP TO SAID FORMABLE MATERIAL, SECOND MEANS FOR HEATING SAID SEALABLE MATERIAL, MEANS FOR URGING SAID TWO MATERIALS TOGETHER IN HEAT SEALABLE RELATIONSHIP, SEPARATING MEANS FOR CUTTING SAID SEALED-TO GETHER MATERIALS INTO DISCRETE PACKAGE PORTIONS, SAID SEPA- 